La Susanna

Oratorio in two acts by Alessandro Stradella

March 26, 2022 at 7:30pm | Gannon Concert Hall

“This La Susanna was altogether enchanting, and easily demonstrated why Haymarket remains among the most impressive period-performance ensembles around today”

- Opera News

"One of the most adventurous and dynamic classical-music groups in Chicago"

- Musical America

"A uniformly fine group of singers"

- Chicago Classical Review

"The playing was superb"

- Opera News

"A spellbinding performance of La Susanna"

- Musical America

Divine justice punishes earthly immorality in an original #MeToo story.

The Chicago premiere of Alessandro Stradella’s La Susanna will mark Haymarket’s return to live performances. Morality combats malice in the biblical story of the devout and beautiful Susanna, falsely accused of adultery.

The cast includes Kaitlin Foley (Susanna), Kristin Knutson (Daniele), Quinn Middleman (Testo), Aaron Wardell (Primo Giudice) and William Dwyer (Secondo Giudice), performing alongside musicians of the acclaimed Haymarket Orchestra including Craig Trompeter, Jeri-Lou Zike, Martin Davids, Brandon Acker, and Jason Moy.

March 26, 2022 at 7:30pm in the Gannon Concert Hall at DePaul University’s Holtschneider Performance Center.

Scroll down to learn more about the cast, orchestra, and Stradella’s biblical drama, La Susanna.

Cast

Stradella’s emotionally heightened score calls for only five voices--Susanna, the two Elders, the Prophet Daniel, and a narrator--who also sing the moralizing choruses. Following her expressive portrayal of Damon in Acis and Galatea, soprano Kaitlin Foley stars in the title role. Soprano Kristin Knutson, acclaimed by audiences for her elegant portrayal of Ariadne in HOC’s modern premiere of Marais’s Ariane et Bachus, sings the role of the fiery Prophet Daniel. Mezzo-soprano Quinn Middleman narrates the story in the role of Testo. Bass-baritone Aaron Wardell and tenor William Dwyer return to Haymarket as the lecherous and deceitful pair of elders.

Instrumental Ensemble

While Stradella is famous for originating the large orchestral concerto grosso which Corelli then brought to fame, he chose to write for an intimate ensemble of only five players in La Susanna: two violins, cello, theorbo, and keyboard. Chicago musicians Jeri-Lou Zike, Martin Davids, Brandon Acker, Jason Moy, and Craig Trompeter play Stradella’s emotionally rich counterpoint.

Violin I - Jeri-Lou Zike

Violin II - Martin Davids

Cello - Craig Trompeter

Theorbo - Brandon Acker

Harpsichord & Organ - Jason Moy

Synopsis: La Susanna

Synopsis: Two powerful and lecherous men secretly ogle Susanna as she bathes in her private garden. When she refuses to submit to their lustful demands, they malevolently accuse her of adultery--a crime punishable by death. The two men appoint themselves judges in a sham court in order to exact vengeance. The Prophet Daniel comes forward to defend Susanna’s innocence. Daniel outsmarts the two men to expose their perjury and flip the verdict on its head in a divine act of mercy.

About the Composer:

Alessandro Stradella

Composer Alessandro Stradella’s flamboyant life as an adulterous Don Juan ended violently with his murder in 1682. During his short life he rose to stardom as a brilliant composer of opera, oratorio, chamber music and cantatas. His virtuosic music for singers pushed the limits of the human voice. His obsession with women fired his imagination, leaving a legacy of breathtaking music for characters such as the dangerous Salome and the virtuous Susanna. 

Stradella’s career and amorous conquests inspired eight opera composers, including Flotow and Franck, to portray his life story in music. 

Haymarket returns to live performance in March, 2022 with Stradella’s La Susanna. This dramatic setting of the biblical parable of Susanna and the Elders premiered in Modena in 1681, shortly before Stradella’s death. Don’t miss the Chicago premiere of Stradella’s poignant score! 

Audiences will remember Haymarket’s acclaimed 2016 performances of Stradella’s San Giovanni Battista. The company tookthis musical depiction of the unhinged Salome demanding the head of John the Baptist on the road to make its European festival debut in 2017 at the Valletta International Baroque Festival. Photo below from that performance:

Production Sponsors & Support

Foundational support comes from: The Paul M. Angell Foundation, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Walder Foundation.

We are grateful for these production sponsors and for the support that has come from Haymarket’s wonderful community of donors. Your gifts and contributions have helped make this performance possible. Thank you!

If you are interested to become a production sponsor, please contact general director Chase Hopkins, at chase@haymarketopera.org.

This event is for everyone! If you require access service to fully participate or have any questions about accessibility, please contact us at info@haymarketopera.org. To ensure the best experience, please try to contact us at your earliest convenience.